"NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT doeth THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." Matthew 7:21-23
Jesus said His will in these words "if you love me keep my commandments" and also "teach them to obey everything I taught you."
"Who gave Himself for us, that he might REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, and PURIFY unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:14
I do believe our security in Christ means we continue to remain in Him, that we not become shipwrecked (1 Timothy 1:19) or turn aside after Satan (1 Timothy 5:15) or go back and walk no more with Him (John 6:66).
I realize we have strongholds of sin, fortified area's that go back to our childhood or adulthood of whenever. So we backslide and or do not get or keep the victory in these area's.
Life will continue to throw us, even after years of healing and self discovery. Enemy will prowl around and strategize to bring us back under old sin habits, and never think you have arrived and would not do that again as you can fall! Pains of life happen so we can and do go back to the comfort of old comforts; drinking, drugs, sex or whatever it may be for you. Also we may think "no I can handle a one off, I won't get any bondage because I know Jesus." That's a lie, as sooner or later you will be drinking more and more or doing a little more and more drugs or sleeping around again!
Think about this: when we draw back with a full knowledge with no driving circumstances and again become entangled, we are then overcome and the latter can be worse (2 Peter 2:20-22). It is here Jesus warns us "IT HAD BEEN BETTER FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE KNOWN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAN, AFTER THEY HAVE KNOWN IT, TO TURN FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT DELIVERED UNTO THEM."
So lets hope and pray we do not become so ensnared or willful by drawing back into sins that entangle us again. Let's pray that nothing unforseen happens that we did not have the opportunity to return back to the faith and we end up dead!
Consider, if one thinks they are saved and turns away from Christ returning to push "his or her luck" thinking once saved always saved, one has forgotten the words "take heed" or "beware." We have to wake up and pay attention to what the Word of God implies, least we neglect our salvation (Hebrews 2:1).
Demas loved the present world (2 Timothy 4:10), "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." (1 John 2:15)
Believing in Jesus is not a once and forever. False teachers exist, spirits seduce and mislead, and, we get mixture in teachings of truth and error. Think about pedophiles, why would they care about losing salvation if it was once saved always saved? If they had forgiveness of sin for each time they raped children, why would they want to stop?
They may be upright in many ways, living their version of Christianity. We know they are in the church and some frauds do hide behind religion, but that does not mean their salvation is real. Therefore, do you think it is fair they call themselves Christians yet abuse children and are able to get into heaven? Then why would God say it was fair for you to break His instructions in righteous living and or His commands and or His laws and be allowed into heaven?
If the Bible taught once saved always saved then the warnings are useless and many verses are unnecessary. Also, all teachings on losing your salvation would just amount to winds of doctrine. Then what? We could all do what we want because we just have to believe and we just have to have faith in the finished works of Calvary and receive the free gift!
Eternal salvation is to precious to leave in the hands of teachers, pastors and so on. This is why we are asked to bear fruit and show ourselves approved so as not to become ashamed by rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) .The risk is to high not to prove if your salvation is real, or what could make you hear the words "depart from me" for being a worker of iniquity or being sucked in by a damnable heresies (2 Peter 2:1).
A willful sinful life or an anointed holy life, the choice is ours! I am not addressing the proclivity of same sex attraction, just the acting out. I do not believe Jesus would cast anyone into outer darkness because they were same sex attracted. Yet I believe He wills for us to enable Him to weaken the desires and look at it as a lust of the flesh that needs to be brought under His Power so as to remain dead to this desire/lust.
His holiness and ways are not our human ways. When you consider the Old Testament of His requirements of being a Levitical Priest it reveals His character, His conditions and His Holiness. Do I like His demands - not at all, but it is His city and His New Jerusalem and He says who may enter in, not me!
"Awake, awake, Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; For the uncircumcised and the unclean Will no longer come into you." Isaiah 52:1
Keep reading and most of all, do your own research, and pray for the right roadmap for the truth on this doctrine..
Be blessed and be a blessing.
Chapter 3
____________________________________________
It is the truth to say if we do not follow His plan of salvation as His Word is Truth we do not have real salvation.
Jesus warned us there are many ways of salvation and many other Christ’s who will come using His Name and or another anointing saying follow me this is the way walk in it (Matthew 24:5, 11, 24; 1 Timothy 4:1).
There are many false ways written as doctrine and by denominations that claim the way of salvation and eternal life.
Truth can be found that we are not saved just because we prayed a sinner’s prayer, or by confessing and believing Jesus is real, or by taking Jesus into our hearts.
This is not according to the overall truth of His Word and especially if we do not follow in the Spirit of The Word and or The Spirits teachings (1 Corinthians 12:13), His specific plan for eternal salvation that our name be not blotted out (Revelation 3:5).
As Jesus said, “every plant my heavenly Father planted not shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13). Therefore, if you obey a different gospel, you will not be saved (Galatians 1:8-9, Matthew 7:21).
This is confirmed where we read a sign and a wonder or a miracle in His Name does not give witness that the spirit behind such things is Christ Jesus’s Spirit (Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
Jesus said He was not associated with those who drank a different spirit and who taught a different gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4) or who did signs and wonders and cast out devils (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 13:27).
He tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1 that there are doctrines of devils not of The One Spirit we are to drink (1 Corinthians 12:13). “Many will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own liking, and will turn away from listening to the truth...” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Truth is He will not accept another gospel, another path of salvation other than what has to be sought out and found written within the Truth, the Word and given by The Spirit of Christ Jesus. For we that worship Him are to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24).
The Word is our instruction manual on how to worship Him. How to serve Him, how to be holy, how to be purified and sanctified. How to follow Him, how to obey Him and how to know Him. And how to be dead to sin, how to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil and remain alive in Christ.
The instruction manual will answer any question, and we are expected to have a love of This Instruction Manual that we do not become deceived, that we are not handed over to any delusion any false way of salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11).
“Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:14). Five wise virgins and five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-2). Many are called, and few are chosen (Matthew 22:13-14).
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.” 2 Peter 1:10
To be in Christ is to be part of the Body of Christ, part of the Church, who holds fast the teachings of Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). As we have believed, repented we are to be baptized into Him in such a way that progressively it is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me. So that He infuses a new life and a new power to overcome sin, the world and the devil, to know Him and His will and His ways (Ephesians 4:4-5) to follow after Him.
We are to become begotten through the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23); to be in study of the Word (2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2:15). Especially to test and approve all things by the Holy Spirit and The Word (Romans 12:12; 1 John 2:27). The Spirit and The Word must bear witness (1 John 5:7; Hebrews 4:12-13), NOT inner voices!
There is only one faith (Ephesians 4:5) delivered to the saints (Jude 3) the doctrine that is learned (Romans 16:17) the sound teaching (1 Timothy 1:10) and the good doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6).
When we deviate from Truth, it becomes another gospel and it can lead to damnation (1 Timothy 1:9-10; Romans 1:26-27; Matthew 7:13-14; John 14:6; Matthew 25:41). These false doctrines have the spirits attached, and one can become seared in the conscious for following deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
Truth is we are to follow the way of salvation written in His Word, or our salvation is not real, (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 22:16; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:20-21).
[Internet Citing's on chapter; Price. Brad, First Corinthians, 525:2010] www.abiblecomentary.com